Advise buying in 1983 grand Banks 42 classic

[Michael S]

Hi, im new to the forum and I am considering buying a GB 42 classic, 1983. I have a Lakehouse at Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. Not the normal place you’d expect to find a Grand Banks, but there is one here for sale. It’s a one owner bone that spent a number years in Florida before being transported to this landlocked lake. It No longer has a mast or boom which is probably not a problem for this lake but makes it less desirable on the coast. It appears to have been well cared for throughout its life But bas been sitting without use for a couple of years. Wondering if anyone can offer advice on what the key things are to evaluate with this boat as I’m deciding whether or not to make the investment. The boat has been winterized and so I have not seen it running. The broker says that the generator does not work and that he thinks it’s caused by a fuel issue.
Here’s the listing- many thanks in advance for taking a look and offering your thoughts.
https://www.boattrader.com/boat/1983-grand-banks-42-classic-7099409/

 

[Swfla]

It's standard practice to have a marine surveyor evaluate the boat. Structurally and all systems. You may have to bring someone in from a coastal city who is familiar with this type of boat/survey. You should expect everything to be working on the boat or a dollar allowance. Sitting for several years will create issues with components/seals drying out. Diesel fuel sitting in tanks grows algae and will need to be addressed before any engine can be run. GB boats are quality boats but no one can guess how much work/repair it will need until surveyed. The survey cost is on your dime. It's usual to come to an agreed sale price with written terms regarding repairs based on survey and also a sea trial(thorough test drive). You have a long road ahead of you and likely a lot of repairs. More so than a boat that's been in use.

 

[Donsan]

She needs a lot of bright work!

 

[SoWhat]

Clearly the brightwork could use some brightening. Sanding and putting down 8 coats of varnish will take a complete season. Interior looks good. I would guess the teak deck needs to be reseamed. If the caulking has separated from the teak then it needs reseaming. Another time consuming (or expensive) task.

The key to the value is the engines. The batteries are most likely toast. I would start by barring the engines over. to make sure they aren't seized. Bring a large crescent wrench with you. If you can turn the engine over, then an offer is appropriate conditioned upon a survey. Broker might balk at seeing you walk on the boat with a huge wrench but I would insist on it as part of initial viewing. Seized engines are not necessarily a showstopper but offering price would drop accordingly.

The engines would be started as part of survey. If the boat has been winterized I suspect the tanks were treated so the fuel should be good. I would stick a borescope down the fuel inlet to make sure the bottom of the tank is clean.

If the engines run, as I suspect they will, then you will have a great boat. The asking price is very low for a GB. Estate sale or elderly owner who no longer wants to pay storage fees for something he can't use? Guessing the price is very negotiable due to landlocked status.

It would make a great summer cabin. At the asking price you would still come out ahead even if you trucked it to Lake Mishigan.

 

[DavidM]

Looks like a pretty nice boat and priced ok. I say ok because I almost bought a 1986 GB42 a few years ago with two good Cummins engines, a working genset, but required a lot of interior sanding and varnishing. Was listed for $45K.

Here are some warnings: two specific and a couple of generic lookouts:

The engines are the highest hp versions of that block available and if run hard probably are using oil, hard to start cold and smoking. Pay particular attention to the engines since replacing them will cost more than the boat is worth.

The stove is electric so with no genset working you can't use it at anchor.

Generic- virtually all boats of this age and provenance have these issues:

Rusty fuel tanks. Check those out carefully.

Leaky windows. I don't see any water stains from the pics but check carefully. The windows use wooden sliding tracks and frames and are prone to leak over time.

Teak decks. In addition to the caulking problem noted by others many boats have water leaks through the screw plugs into the fiberglass core below. Carefully check for water in the core, preferably from below.

Electronics are probably old but if serviceable then they probably will work for you on the lake.

David

 

[Swfla]

Maybe Michael S would tell us more about his boating experience? I was assuming he has little experience with this size/type of boating. Thus the advice to bring in a surveyor. Lots of great insight here.

 

[SoWhat]

Maybe Michael S would tell us more about his boating experience? I was assuming he has little experience with this size/type of boating. Thus the advice to bring in a surveyor. Lots of great insight here.

Good point. I decided to check barring over a Cat.
If you can't fit a socket or pipe wrench onto crank pulley, Cat provides an alternate method There is a special barring socket available on Amazon for $25. It fits in bell housing hole opposite starter and is used to set valve lash. You would also need a 1/2" breaker bar.

Be gentle. Rock it back and forth a very small amount. If you're lucky it will break free and move a little. Keep going in larger amounts until you can move it freely. Tapping with a rubber mallet is OK. Slamming it with a hand sledge is not.

If the rings are rusted to the cylinder wall the engine will be hard to move at first. If you slam the breaker you could snap the rings. Then you're into a complete engine rebuild. I wouldn't bother the broker. He will be busy texting.

One of the pictures shows side view of a fuel tank. No signs of rust. Top of the tank and bottom seams are places to look. A small hand mirror and led flashlight will five you a good view. Or a borescope attached to your phone.

 

[Michael S]

Thanks for the great replies so far.

Thanks for the great feedback Since I am new to this forum I hope my reply will appear in the correct place. As to my previous experience, I owned and just Recently sold a 2015 Regal 42 Sport Coupe. It was a modern day cruiser with joystick and new electronics. It gave me an appreciation for this size boat but the Grand Banks will be a completely different experience. Also, I have never owned a diesel boat.
In speaking with the broker, I learned that the owner passed away last Fall. His son has no interest in boating and therefore put it up for sale. According to the broker the owner took great care of the boat and owned it since new.

 

[Swfla]

The owner used to take good care. It sat for 2-3 years or more and that's the concern. I think most sales people embellish the true facts. Great potential here, in either direction. Look at maintenance records and hours log for the past few years to help with the big picture.

 

[Comodave]

Good news/bad news on this boat. First the bad news, it has teak everywhere, decks, rails and even seat tops. Now the good news, it is under covered storage. If it had been covered most of its life the deck cores may not be saturated with water. But it is something to check during the survey. As to the teak, I am a firm disbeliever of teak especially on the decks. We have painted almost all of our exterior teak. We have teak decks, wish we did not, but it is only on the sundeck which has a hardtop over the teak.

Now to the rest of the boat. Looks pretty nice overall. Being in covered storage will reduce the chances of the windows leaking. The engine room will be really tight with the huge 3208s in it. They are a decent engine but as noted before they are the highest HP rating and therefore if they have been run hard they will not last nearly as long. Try to find out how the PO ran the boat usually.

Overall looks like a nice boat. If I bought it the teak would stay gray since it is waaaay too much work to keep that much teak varnished. Get a good survey and if it surveys well then enjoy!!!

 

[Swfla]

2300 hours on a boat this age is a super low number. Wonder if the boat was repowered? How much of it's life was in FL saltwater? It should show in the engine room and other bilge areas as corrosion. Sea air deposits corrosive salt that never goes away unless scrubbed with soapy water. This corrosion can turn a simple repair into a big job as nuts and bolts seize and cast metal parts break off during a repair. I point this out to the OP as he never indicated any saltwater boating experience. I worked in the boating/yachting industry in FL for many years. Lots of midwestern seasoned boaters came to FL and had to relearn boat care and maintenance. Usually the hard way. I remember one guy who had to use battery parallel switch to start his engines, top off battery water every two weeks and still refused to accept that his swollen batteries were shot. Has nothing to do with saltwater, just stubborn people who won't listen.

 

[SoWhat]

2300 hours on a boat this age is a super low number. Wonder if the boat was repowered?

My 1985 with twin Lehman 90's has 2550 hours on each. Single owner boat, all original. Replaced one stuck starter and a leaky fresh water pump. They run like like swiss watches.

Not a lot of maintenance performed over the last few years as elderly owner couldn't lift the ER hatches, and all varnish was long gone. One transmission cooler leaked and filled transmission with water which turned it into a block of rust. Replaced all bearings and it runs smoothly.

A project boat for sure but the son had zero interest in it and wanted to get rid of it before next round of storage fees were due. I have just started on the teak. The cabin sole is now ready to coat. I'm thinking of 5 coats interior, 8 exterior. Not my favorite job but very easy to do.

 

[slowgoesit]

Would you plan on keeping it on the lake? Or moving it overland somewhere else?

 

[Pete Meisinger]

It looks to be a very nice boat. I agree with all the other comments regarding teak, tanks and windows but something else really caught my eye.

G.B.s are great boats and the modern ones have a hull which allows them to plane at higher speeds, not so with the older ones. They are semi or full displacement hulls. That boat would be adequately powered for hull speed with about 150 to 200 hp. Two 90 hp 4 cylinder F.L.s would be perfect.

Why it is carrying 850 hp in Cats is beyond me. Maybe I am missing something.

pete

 

[Swfla]

Hope we hear more about this boat. I'd like like to know that the broker wasn't puffing up the care that this once beautiful boat had. The potential for a good boat is there. I noticed a high velocity blower type in the forward stateroom. One use is to dry out wet carpeting in a home or office. Just curious. Imagine the large turbo engines would push this boat at hull speed at 1000 rpm! Much quieter that way.

 

[Comodave]

It looks to be a very nice boat. I agree with all the other comments regarding teak, tanks and windows but something else really caught my eye.

G.B.s are great boats and the modern ones have a hull which allows them to plane at higher speeds, not so with the older ones. They are semi or full displacement hulls. That boat would be adequately powered for hull speed with about 150 to 200 hp. Two 90 hp 4 cylinder F.L.s would be perfect.

Why it is carrying 850 hp in Cats is beyond me. Maybe I am missing something.

pete

GB are a pricey boat. If you could afford a new one you could pay the huge fuel bill with those engines.

 

[SoWhat]

Why it is carrying 850 hp in Cats is beyond me. Maybe I am missing something.
pete

Most 32's were standard with a Lehman 120. In my case PO ordered the boat with the twin 90's. Assuming he just wanted the redundancy.

 

[Nomad Willy]

Lots of weight.
Lots of power.

And lots of the things that go with power and weight.
Fairly expensive to operate. May be fairly “wet” from spray.

Price is good.
What are your options for other boats at a comparable price? It would be good to find a low cost boat with low maint. costs too. I’d want those two to match up. This one for you may be a bit like buying an old Jaguar sedan with a wife and kids.

 

[Michael S]

Thanks again for all of this great feedback. I have reached out to the broker to get access to the maintenance logs. The boat was used in salt water until about 2000 and has been at this lake since then. My plan is to keep it on Lake of the Ozarks. It seems to me that transporting it and outfitting it for use on a larger body of water would be cost prohibitive.
I’m working up the courage to try barring the engines.
As to other boats for similar cost, this lake is very busy and choppy on weekends. So, 40’+ boats are popular and common. Lots of Sea Rays, Regals, older Chris Crafts, Formulas and similar express cruisers. A growing number of Galeon and Azimuth in Slightly larger yachts. Also lots of center consoles, racing boats, fishing boats, pontoons and jet skis. The GB is unique and has emotional appeal and my girlfriend and I would enjoy the project, as long as it’s mechanically sound.

 

[Swfla]

The broker is cooperative, that's great. It's had plenty of fresh water through every mm of systems. Good news. The best news is a GF who wants to enjoy the work with you. It's easy to look at oil and transmission fluid in all engines and look for signs of water intrusion.No water, bring the bar and some gloves. Genset too.

 

[Rufus]

There could be hull blisters. Also, 375 And 425 Cats tend to be in the overfueling “slobbering” category at slow/hull speeds.

 

[SoWhat]

Sounds like you are moving forward. Always good to have partner onboard with any project. Makes varnishing almost tolerable.

One other suggestion: Maintenance on the outboard engines can be good training for an acrobat. Squeeze up along the sides of each engine with your led light. Make sure you can fit and replace normal maintenance items.

(or send your partner in there)

Replacement or cleanout of coolers and heat exchangers should show up in maintenance logs. The more recent the better. Would expect to see notes or yard receipts indicating oil changed, zincs changed, etc. each winter or spring. If not in the log yard might have records

 

[Nomad Willy]

House and deck areas are vulnerable to rot from years in the freshwater environment.

 

[Swfla]

Any way to mitigate the fuel slobbering?
Chances are, the records are good and complete up to the last few years when the owner was not attending to things. That's a good sign for you.
Most boats this old are going to have some water intrusion.Maybe just a little. As long as you embrace a project boat, most everything is a matter of DIY time or in the case of soft decks and cabin $$$ to have it done right. If it's been neglected for only 2 years, that minimizes the chance for serious damage.
Hopefully the engines and transmissions are OK so you can do some boating this season. Probably need to invest in a set of batteries right away or at least for next summer. Cold drinks, a working head and running engines are all you need. Then you have a good 6 months to prioritize and address repairs. If you can keep that covered slip, at least for another year, it would help tremendously with rehab work. If the seller owns it, make it part of the negotiation. If not, talk to the third party owner of the slip and work a new lease.
Can you keep the covered slip? Near enough to your lake home? I'm trying not to get too far ahead of your initial inspection but I think it's important to envision the next two years and plan rehabs so they don't encroach on the boating season. If you can't enjoy the boat for the next two summers in between repairs, it's easy to get discouraged. Maybe you'll get lucky and need minimal work done.

 

[Rufus]

Any way to mitigate the fuel slobbering?

Load them so that they’re at least operating at the low end of the design power range....go fast or drag a sea anchor... Speed sold these pigs in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

 

[Swfla]

That's going to pull quite a wake. I don't imagine Lake of Ozarks is a place to do that. What are the long term bad effects/results of low speed fuel issues? Ejection thru exhaust? This boat has been at the lake a few decades and likely experiencing this a lot, vs alienating neighboring boaters and loved by jet skis for wake jumping.

 

[Comodave]

A lot of us have “trawlers” that are overpowered. We run ours at 1600 RPM or thereabouts. Every so often we run it up to a higher setting to heat the engine up and clean it out. That is pretty normal operation for a lot of trawlers.

 

[Swfla]

That's what needed to hear about Rufus comment about slobbering. True but not a big issue. I'm likely guilty of making vague statements as well. Hull blisters, water intrusion and rot. A hundred things COULD show up but depending on their level of severity many are not really a major issue or deal breaker. I think we say these things to make a newbie aware of possibilities, but I'm going to try to add perspective to my comments in the future.

 

[Rufus]

Sure, overpowered is relative. But twin 420s in that hull is pretty gross. They tend to smokers when not hot. The 39 Sea Ray next to us has 1700 hour 375s. It belches fuel fumes when puttering around the local lake...then cleans up at higher power...,and then goes back to belching diesel in short order when slowed down. Twin Cummins 210s are about right for that hull if one wants an occasional turn of speed. The engines are detractors IMO...perhaps a bargaining chip.

My comment about blisters was meant to be a hint to do a haul out....unless there are records that the bottom was epoxy barrier coated in the past. If no epoxy, then be on site to examine for blisters right after the boat is lifted as blisters do collapse quickly after leaving the water.

 

[SoWhat]

My comment about blisters was meant to be a hint to do a haul out....unless there are records that the bottom was epoxy barrier coated in the past. If no epoxy, then be on site to examine for blisters right after the boat is lifted as blisters do collapse quickly after leaving the water.

You have been reading too may posts from psneeld.
mid eighties was the peak of blistering. Many boats have them, no known reports of any boats sinking from them. They are cosmetic. Notwithstanding psneeld's opinion that hydrolysis exists next to dark matter ready to strike all unwary owners.

I don't see a problem with large engines. If they smoke, change the thermostat and run them hotter. ergo, no smoke.

It's a great boat, great price, and has been around for almost 40 years.
Carpe diem.